Parrot to the Rescue in Tok Pisin by Mia Bowen Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved
	Jack and Lisa were on school holidays, but it hadn't been a fun holidays yet. It had been raining every day!
"Look!" cried Jack, pointing out the window. "Finally the sun is out!" "Why don't you go on a picnic? You can spend all day outside," suggested Mum.
	First they went down to the shed to find Pit. "Gude! Bai yumitripela i go we tude?" squawked Pit.
"Bai yumitripela i go piknik long raunwara," replied Jack.
	"Ale yumitripela go long raunwara!" squawked Pit. And with a big flap of the wings, he was off leading the way up the path.
"San i hat," said Lisa, wiping her face with her hand. "Mi laik dringim wanpela samting." "Nek bilong mi i drai tu," said Jack. "Lemonet i stap we?"
Suddenly, something large swooped down from the sky towards Lisa. Lisa screamed, "Ai!! Help! Helpim mi!"
It was a ferocious magpie and she was on the attack. She thought they were too close to her nest.
"Wanem samting i kamap?" cried Jack in alarm. "Go raus!" shouted Jack, flapping his arms around his head as the magpie targeted him. "Bai mi helpim yutupela!" squawked Pit. He chased the magpie high up into the tree, while Jack and Lisa disappeared down the path.
	They ran and ran and ran until they were out of breath ... "Slow down!" cried Lisa. "I think we're lost! I can't see the way to the lake any more."
Lisa looked up into the sky and saw Pit flying above. "Stap, Pit!" called Lisa. "Mitupela i lus! Rot i stap we? Mitupela no save long painim."
	"Bai mi painim long yutupela!" squawked Pit as he zoomed down through the trees and along the path. "Bihainim mi!" he screeched.
"Go isi isi!" puffed Jack. "Mitupela no save long plai olsem yu! Mitupela i mas wokabaot brukim bus," he called.
"Raunwara long hap! Yumitripela kam kamap nau!" cried Lisa.
"Tenkyu long yu, Pit!" said Jack. "Yu welkam," replied Pit, preening his feathers in embarrassment.
	They sat down beside the lake and started to set up their picnic.
First, they started with some fruit. Pit called out as his favourite food appeared out of the backpack ...
"... wanpela pis, stroberi, eprikot, wanpela banana, wanpela swit muli ..."
"... ol seri, wanpela pe, ol pikinini bilong rop wain ..."
Pit eyed all the food with interest as it was placed on the picnic blanket. "Mi hangre tumas. Mi ken i traim, plis?" he asked, bobbing his head towards a slice of fruit cake.
...............	"No ken kaikai!" said Lisa, grabbing the cake. "Em i pulap long ol anis." She tried to brush all the ants off. It was difficult. "Ol anis i hangre ..." said Jack. "Na ol i laikim kek." "No ken wari!" squawked Pit. "Mi laikim kek na mi laikim ol anis tu!" Lisa raised her eyebrows at Jack. "Ugghhhh!" laughed Jack and Lisa together.
"Bret!" squawked Pit. "Yu kisim bret i kam?" "Yes," replied Lisa. "Mi no lusim tingting long en." Pit happily grabbed a chunk of bread in his beak.
"Yu gat sis?" asked Jack. "Yes! Em i stap long hia," replied Lisa as she pulled it out of the backpack. "Givim mi wanpela naip, plis," he added. "Tenkyu," mumbled Jack through a mouthful of cheese and bread. They all ate for a while, chatting and laughing together.
"Yutupela kaikai inap?" asked Lisa. "Yutupela laikim sampela moa?" "Nogat ... Bel bilong mi i sua. Ating mi kaikai planti tumas," said Jack. "Nogat!" squawked Pit. They all laughed.
They spent the rest of the afternoon climbing trees, exploring and running around.
The sun was starting to get very low in the sky. "Em i bihaintaim nau," squawked Pit. "Yes, yumitripela mas go long ples nau," said Jack.
They packed up their things and headed home down the path away from the lake .... tired, happy and not the slightest bit hungry. Soon they could see the roof of their house through the trees. It was good to be home.
...............	Magpie was happy to be alone again. She was even happier when she discovered some bread they had left behind.